Delta in accelerated sustainability spending

DELTA Corporation (Delta) says it has invested at least $2,9 million in infrastructure-related corporate social investments under its integrated sustainable development framework.

Sustainability is part of a global social justice and human rights agenda, which compels organisations of all kinds to assess the impact of their activities and disclose their non-commercial contributions to the economy and communities.

The Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE), where Delta trades its equity, has also made sustainability reporting a requirement for companies listed on the bourse, in line with international best practice, to enhance accountability and ensure they play their part in achieving sustainable development goals.

The beverage maker is one of ZSE's heavyweight counters in terms of market capitalisation.

In a statement released last week, Delta gave an overview of its largest sustainability investments since 2015, notably an effluent line that services the Matabeleland north communities of Umguza, a police Camp in Fairbridge and its brewery in the same area, which was completed in 2016 at a cost of $2,7 million.

Other projects include a water line from the city of Bulawayo to the Umguza community and an access road linking its traditional beer plant in Fairbridge to the Harare-Bulawayo highway, which cost the company $260 000 to upgrade.

Delta says the projects aimed to "improve livelihoods and help build communities", in line with the thrust of its sustainable development framework.

"The upgrading of the Chibuku Super plant at Fairbridge in 2016, has given rise to an increase in the volume of traffic to and from the plant, particularly the heavy motor vehicles that ferry raw materials and finished products. It became necessary to improve the safety of traffic entering the highway or manoeuvring from the highway into the premises," Delta said in the statement.

"This project fits well in Delta's integrated and sustainable development framework which was part of the brewery redevelopment in 2015/16. The company invested in an effluent line to service the Umguza communities, the Fairbridge Police Camp and the brewery at a cost of $2,7million. The water line supplying the Umguza community from Bulawayo City was also upgraded.

"This abodes well with the company's thrust to improve livelihoods and help build communities."

In a telephone interview with Newsday Delta's corporate affairs executive Patricia Murambinda said, "There has been false information circulating on social media saying Delta is facing closure. Those are lies, we are not closing actually. We are operating at full throttle and we are also investing money in line with our corporate responsibility policy."

Delta is involved in the business of brewing of lager and traditional beer and the bottling of soft drinks under licence from the Coca Cola Company.

Its beverages operation, Delta Beverages, is Zimbabwe's leading brewer, which trades in more than 15 beer brands and employs over 4 000 employees countrywide. - newsday